Steel trap.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

J. W. PARSONS.

STEEL TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' awoemtoi Z: FWFJOMJ No. 7816, 145.. PATENTE'D MAR. 28', 19.05.. J; W.PARSGNS.

STEEL TRAP.

ALIBEBIQiA'L'IQilT FILED m}: 20. 1904.

yyg-J 0 6 m j v 6 u LL T. l /0 q vif/neooao /4 7 anvmaoz W JMETJU/h No.786,145. PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905. J. W. PARSONS.

STEEL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. /6

/6 H (I I I! Wk muemtoz UNITED STATES Patented March 28, 1905.

JAMES W. PARSONS, OF SLATER, COLORADO.

STEEL TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 786,145, dated March28, 1905.

Application filed June 20, 1904. Serial No. 213,390.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES WV. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Slater, in the county of Routt, State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Steel Traps; and 1 dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to traps, and more particularly to the classknown as steel traps, and has for its object to provide a device of thisnature which will be. simple of construction and cheap of manufacture,which will consist of but few parts, and which will be so constructedthat it will be impossible for an animal caught in the trap to displacethe parts thereof in its efforts to free itself.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals} of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a side elevation of the trap closed. Fig. 2 is a top planview of the trap open. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is anend view of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa detail view of the loop and illustrating a modification employing aretaining-dog for the jaws. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view takenthrough the legs of the trip-plate.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an arc-shaped spring-plate5, the ends 6 of which are turned upwardly away from the convex facethereof and are each provided with a pair of longitudinally-disposedkeyhole-slots 7 and 8, the-minor portions of which extend downwardly.Disposed upon the upper face of the plate 5 is a second arc-shapedspring-plate 9, having openings 9 in its ends, which are of a size toreceive the ends 6 of the plate 5 therethrough. The two plates aresecured together by means of a loop 10, which is engaged therewith, thespaced portions 11 and 12 of the loop lying against the upper face ofthe plate 9 and the lower face of the plate 5, respectively. The portion12 of the loop has a transverse convolution 13 therein. with which isengaged a ring 14:, having a swivel 15 connected therewith, to whichthere is connected a chain by which the trap may be secured. Theportions 11 and 12 extend beyond the plates 5 and 9 at one side and aresecured together by a bolt 12, passed through perforations therein. Theportion 12 is considerably longer than the portion 11 and is given ahalf-turn beyond the end thereof, so that what was formerly its lateraldimension is now its vertical dimension. The outer end of the portion 12is provided with a series of perforations 12, with one of which isengaged a bolt 12*, and pivotally engaged with the ends of this bolt arethe perforations 22 and 21 of legs 22 and 21, which depend from atrip-plate 20. The plate 20 and the depending legs are in manufacturestamped from a single piece of metal and the legs are afterward bent atright angles to the plate.

Jaws 16 and 1'7 are provided for the trap, each including a bitingportion 16', having angular end portions 16, the extremities of whichare turned outwardly and have notches 18filed or otherwise formedtherein, resulting in stems 18, having lateral heads 18 at their outerends.

In assembling the parts of the trap the plates 9 and 5 are broughttogether to cause the ends 6 to project through the openings 9, in whichposition they are held by clamps or in any desired manner. The angularportions 16 of the jaws are now sprung together and the lateral heads 18are passed through the keyhole-slots 7 and 8, it being understood thatthe slots 7 aline with each other and that the slots 8 aline also. Ifthe holding means be now released from the plates 5 and 9, these plateswill spring apart and will cause the biting portions 16 of the jaws tocome together, turning the heads 18 transversely of the slots 6 and 7.It will thus be apparent that if an animal should be caught in the trapthese heads would prevent it from pulling the ends 18 from the slots inits efforts to free itself.

In setting the trap the ends of the plate 9 are forced downwardly, whichmay be done by pressing thereon with the feet, and when the plate hasbeen depressed sufficiently the jaws are separated and one of them isengaged beneath a rearwardly extending finger 23 IOO upon the trip-plate20, which holds the jaws against the action of the plate 9. Any pressureupon the plate 20 of course releases the jaws.

The bolt 12 is arranged for interchangeable engagement with theperforations 12, so that the trip-plate may be moved toward and awayfrom the jaw with which the finger 23 is engaged, and if the jaw becomesbent or the linger 23 becomes worn, so that the tinger will not readilyengage the jaw, the plate may be moved to bring the linger into thedesired position.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modification in which the perforations 12 arearranged in a different form and in which a dog 12" is employed toretain the jaws in open position, the dog being engaged by thetrip-plate, as will be readily understood.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. A trap comprising a plate having upwardly-turnedends provided with keyholeslots, jaws having their extremities engagedwith the slots and having heads upon their ends, said heads being of asize to pass through the slots, said heads lying transversely of theslots when the jaws are in operative position, means for holding thejaws yieldably in operative position, and means for holding the jawsagainst the action of the first-named holding means.

2. A trap comprising a plate, aspring-plate disposed upon thefirst-named plate and having openings in its ends, a loop engaged withthe two plates and extending beyond one side thereof, the lower portionof the loop having a chain engaged therewith, the upper and lowerportions of the loop being connected beyond the plates, jaws pivotallyconnected with the ends of the first-named plate and engaged with theopenings of the second-named plate, said second-named plate beingarranged for movement to disengage its openings from the jaws to permitof separation thereof, and a trip-plate pivoted to the loop and having afinger for engagement with one of the jaws to hold the jaws separated.

3. A trap comprising cooperating jaws for movement into inoperative andoperative positions, means for moving the jaws into their operativepositions and for holding them in such positions, a pivotally-mountedplate having a finger arranged for engagement with one of the jaws tohold it in inoperative position, said plate being adjustable toward andaway from the jaw.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. PARSONS. l/Vitnesses:

DANIEL (I, PATTON, GUY V. SPARLIN.

